First frames with dSLR

[Michael Fraley]

These are my first posts from an Olympus E-420 with 25mm/f2.8 lens. It's my first digital SLR. Up to now I've only used p&s digital. I like the small size factor of this camera although it took some getting used to. I've been using a Konica Auto S2 and standard size film SLR's. The E-420 is quite a bit smaller, especially noticeable in that there's not much to grip on one side. But it's light around the neck and that means I'm more likely to take it with me.

This is the carousel at the San Francisco zoo. I was trying out the second curtain flash setting. It's supposed to create trailing effects. I was panning the camera too.

[nikonbob]

Your jumping in at the deep end with trying out the second curtain flash setting. At least from my POV, as I never could understand the technicalities of using a flash. I think your observation that there is not much for one hand to grip is common to all DSLRs too. I guessing that you mean the left hand? I found that strange compared to film SLRs at first too. Looks like you are getting on fine with your Oly and enjoying it.

Bob

[olroy2044]

Michael, I look forward to your photos of San Francisco. Nicely done. Roy

[vintageslrs]

Michael

Looks like you did a good job with a difficult subject......


Enjoy
Bob

[Andrew]

Michael, congrats on your new E-420, one great thing about digital is you can experiment to your hearts content without it costing you a bomb in processing costs..since i already have spent a bomb on practicing and learning on/with film..oh well lol

Bob i might be correct in assuming you lean toward the rangefinder and available light style of photography which obviously doesnt require the added complication (or nuisance if you prefer haha) of having to know about flash to a larger degree. I think the very terms used of second curtain sync, slow first curtain etc etc make it more complicated than it really is, at least it used to be confusing to me when i was young trying to work it out. but as i like utilising flash I have learnt enough to get me by, working in studio's requires a certain amount of knowledge anyway.

not to sound like a lesson or a know it all (there are people with far more expertise than me of course), but if i have to explain using flash ,second curtain sync, in general for out and about shooting to someone, i more or less say it comes down to 4 basic ways of using it (from there you can go on to perfect it with ratio's and other things)

1st is fill flash, often an auto type system on modern cameras now, so not much need to explain (unless someone wants to take control) apart from it provides a basic understanding. obviously in this setting the camera selects shutter speed and aperture to expose the scene correctly but controls the amount of flash enough to 'fill' the subject

2nd; is using the camera with flash where the camera is set on its nominal sync speed, say 1/60 or 1/125, the shutter opens, flash fires and the subject is exposed correctly but often in this case the background is dark which makes for those unappealing shots where the subject stands out starkly in the picture

3rd; slow 'first curtain sync' can correct the above by correctly (or partly) exposing the background and surrounding area. however if the shutter speed is slow enough and there are moving subjects, because the flash is fired at the beginning of when the shutter opens, the subjects will be correctly exposed but the movement exposure (the blur) caused by the slow shutter speed will overrun the subject, if there are strong light sources (candles, lights, strong highlights on subject etc) these show up more. the resulting blur or movement ends up in front of subject making it look like they are going backwards and in most cases blurs out the leading edge of the subject, that of which in most cases you wished to more importantly capture.

4th; second curtain sync overcomes the above problem because it fires the flash just before the shutter closes, so if you can imagine the film exposed on a long shutter speed, the moving subject is partly exposed, then the flash fires, exposing the subject correctly which results in the main subject frozen at that point, and the blur is behind them, any strong points of light are also behind them not covering up the main subject.

the easiest way to think of slow 'first curtain sync' and 'second curtain sync' is just to remember first curtain sync is when the flash is fired as soon as the shutter opens, second curtain simply means the flash is fired just before the shutter closes

I assume Michael was trying to emphasise the movement of the horses, particularly the main one in front more strongly, because he mentions 'it was supposed to create trailing effects". If so then Michael should not of panned the camera. because of the nature of the merry go round that travels in a circular motion, panning the camera at the horses in the front serves to counteract the effect of movement (little to no trailing effect because camera traveling with the horse), while the panning created blurs in other areas that you would not expect the movement to show up as strongly i.e at the sides, the person in the blue top for example . because they are not moving along the same plane as the film plane of the camera (or whatever you call the digital equivalent to film plane, image plane doesnt have the same ring to it lol). Still an interesting shot though, my point being that its not really taking advantage or demonstrating the how the second curtain sync can be utilised.

[nikonbob]

Andrew

You are right that I lean towards using whatever light there is no matter what camera type I am using. I am basically lazy in how much I want to learn and carry. I have a Nikon flash bought years ago that is the size of a rangefinder camera and did not enjoy carrying it around. I found I can do a good deal in PP to make up to some extent for my laziness with flash. You are right though in that it all sounds more complicated than it really is in practice. Especially if you have someone such as yourself that put it into easily understood wording. I have to admit that in the year that I have had the D700 I have never used the pop up flash. Just cranked the iso up and PPed the image. I really admire a person who jumps right in and experiments. Digital is a real blessing in that you can experiment with immediate feed back and virtually no cost penalty while in the learning curve.

Bob

[Michael Fraley]

Thanks Andrew,

I was wondering if the panning was interfering with the flash. I might try a tripod at night and experiment with moving objects and different flash settings. As you say, experimenting with digital is not the expensive proposition it can be with film. Thanks for taking the time to explain the varieties of flash!

[Andrew]

your welcome Michael, i look forward to seeing some more test shots! the tripod is an excellent idea that i am sure will make a difference

Bob, like many people i guess, i have never liked the pop up flash on the slr/dslr's to use as a flash source for the actual picture either, I much prefer off camera flash. although they were handy in an emergency to get that family shot you might have missed otherwise, its hardly an issue with the D700's incredible ISO capabilities though! I did/do find the pop up flash useful though, in as much as i use it to trigger other flashes remotely using optical slaves on each of them and sticking a piece of card over the pop up flash so it doesn't affect the image (sometimes just using my hand in front for a shortcut)...however, now, even that is less of necessity as there are all those 'radio poppers' available that can be used instead of the optical slaves

Andrew